Spare Tire wheel well filled with water!?
#1
Spare Tire wheel well filled with water!?
So I recently bought my Nissan Maxima 2003 and it's been great to me. I went to buy grocery's one night and put them in my trunk, when I was unloading them, I noticed the trunk rug was wet/damp. I opened up the floor to find that the spare tire wheel well was filled up to the brim with water..?! After that I drained the water, the spare tire is rusted now and so is the wheel well.
Has anyone experienced this problem and/or know how to fix it?
Has anyone experienced this problem and/or know how to fix it?
![](http://s328.photobucket.com/user/carterbennett/media/IMG_34521_zps7d6deb14.jpg.html)
Last edited by MaximaBennett; 06-03-2014 at 03:18 PM.
#2
So I recently bought my Nissan Maxima 2003 and it's been great to me. I went to buy grocery's one night and put them in my trunk, when I was unloading them, I noticed the trunk rug was wet/damp. I opened up the floor to find that the spare tire wheel well was filled up to the brim with water..?! After that I drained the water, the spare tire is rusted now and so is the wheel well.
Has anyone experienced this problem and/or know how to fix it?
Has anyone experienced this problem and/or know how to fix it?
#4
I didn't see where it was coming from but I'll head out and hop in the back trunk with a flashlight and have a buddy pour water on my car so I can see the leakage. thanks for the replies.
![Smilie](https://maxima.org/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
#5
as said its probably the weather seal around the trunk. look for any loose or damaged pieces. if you cant find any dry it all off and spray the trunk lid with a hose then look for any damp spots in there
#6
Considering we have brutal winters especially this one that just passed try checking for any holes in the wheel wells and peel back the carpet on the inner rear panels to see if there is any holes from rust or corrosion. Could be possible your wheels are shooting water at one of those areas while driving through rain if there are any holes.
#8
Use something to "reinforce" the original tail light gasket or remove the tail lights and clean up the old stuff
Here's a video to help.
You could have someone spray water at the trunk while you are inside the car with a flash light just to make sure they are the culprit.
Also if there is a lot of water in the spare tire area, take out the spare tire, park the car on a hill (steeper the better) & remove one of the black plug that's under the spare tire
Good luck!
Here's a video to help.
You could have someone spray water at the trunk while you are inside the car with a flash light just to make sure they are the culprit.
Also if there is a lot of water in the spare tire area, take out the spare tire, park the car on a hill (steeper the better) & remove one of the black plug that's under the spare tire
![Big Grin](https://maxima.org/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
Good luck!
Last edited by george__; 06-03-2014 at 09:21 PM.
#10
Have you touched your tail lights recently? I had this issue after removing and reinstalling my tail lights like other people in this thread have mentioned. Try grabbing some some black silicone sealant for an auto parts store or home depot and putting a fresh bead around the tail light.
#18
And man, best show on TV. Prved the wife wrong by getting her to watch it from episode one.
#19
#20
#21
We just had a hard rain here in Alberta, trunk is soaking wet again.. It's odd because I hopped in my trunk with a flash light and tried to spot the leakage and couldn't, and every person I tell about the possibility of it being the tail light, they either say "Your tail lights have water inside! That's so cool." and I'm like... ugh. Then after I explain that to them, they are confused and don't believe me. It's make me very frustrated. Shall I just cover the perimeter of my tail light with sealant and hope it works?
#22
Not saying it's the same on yours for sure, but the trunk on my 02 leaks pretty badly too. I pulled one of the drain plugs on the bottom of the spare tire well to make sure it didn't pool up anymore, but mine is leaking from the trunk seal itself. Took me forever to figure it out because I couldn't spot the water. Finally decided to go out there in the middle of a rainstorm and saw a seemingly insignificant trail of water from the trunk seal. Ripped the trunk carpet back and it was running all the way down the inner panels and around until it eventually ended up in the spare tire well.
It actually still does it because I've been lazy about it.
Anyways, hope that can help.
It actually still does it because I've been lazy about it.
Anyways, hope that can help.
#23
95% of the time, it's the tail light seal. Remove the tail lights and either fix or replace the butyl seal. You can get the butyl from the dealer.
The other 5% of the time, it's the rubber seal around the trunk lid, as described above.
The solution is easy. Fix the seal, then buy my cover to spruce up the trunk
The other 5% of the time, it's the rubber seal around the trunk lid, as described above.
The solution is easy. Fix the seal, then buy my cover to spruce up the trunk
![Smilie](https://maxima.org/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
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